Ed Markey: “here is where we are. The Republicans are holding the government spending bill and tax breaks for businesses hostage…”

“here is where we are. The Republicans are holding the government spending bill and tax breaks for businesses hostage unless they can attach a rider to these bills to allow Big Oil to export American oil overseas to the highest foreign bidder. Ten days before Christmas, Republicans want to give Big Oil the biggest of all Christmas presents by lifting the crude oil export ban, and they keep saying no to long-term extensions of the wind and solar tax breaks and protections for consumers as part of the deal. Lifting the oil export ban would be a disaster for our economy, our climate, and for our national security. We should have tax break parity. Let me tell you where we are right now. In America the oil industry gets approximately $7 to $8 billion a year in tax breaks. It is interesting because $7 to $8 billion is what the wind and solar industry receives each year--pretty even: wind and solar; oil--$7 to $8 billion every year in tax breaks. We keep hearing from the other side: Let's have a level playing field; let's have all of the above. Well, what are they asking for right now? Here is what they are asking for. The oil tax breaks will continue forever, and the wind and solar tax breaks will phase out over the next 3 to 5 years. This is on top of the windfall which the oil industry receives from the exportation of the oil that otherwise would stay here in the United States. Under that scenario, the losers are going to be U.S.…”